Our Team

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Joshua Potocko, MD, MPH

Chief Medical Officer & Founder

  • Dr. Josh Potocko is a physician, neuroscientist, and retired U.S. Navy Commander whose path to founding Althea NOLA spans decades of service, science, and a deep personal connection to New Orleans.

    Josh's relationship with this city began at Tulane University, where he earned his Master of Science in Neuroscience and served as an Assistant Professor of Naval Science. His military career took him from flying S-3B Vikings off the USS Abraham Lincoln to serving as a Naval Flight Surgeon embedded with Marine Corps helicopter crews in Hawaii. Over 28 years of service, he developed expertise in human performance, safety culture, toxicology, and public health.

    After retiring in 2022, Josh turned his focus to psychedelic medicine. He completed the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics Facilitation Certificate Program and trained as a Ketamine Medical Provider through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. He holds a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Colorado, an MPH from UC Berkeley, and completed his Occupational Medicine residency at UCSF. He is dual board-certified in Aerospace Medicine and Occupational & Environmental Medicine.

    Josh founded Althea NOLA because he saw a gap between what ketamine could offer and how it was typically delivered. He believes the medicine works best within a genuine clinical relationship — not administered in isolation.

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Kennedi Barker, MSN, FNP-BC

Clinical Director

  • Kennedi Barker is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with over seven years of experience in patient care and a clinical practice built at the intersection of integrative medicine, trauma-informed care, and psychedelic-assisted healing.

    Kennedi earned her MSN-FNP from the University of Missouri and has spent the past three years specializing in ketamine-assisted therapy and integrative mental health. She currently administers ketamine at Spyre Center in New Orleans and Michigan Progressive Health in Ann Arbor — bringing extensive hands-on experience in the medicine room and a calm, intuitive presence that patients consistently describe as grounding.

    At Althea NOLA, Kennedi leads clinical operations — the medical intake process, physiological monitoring during sessions, medication protocols, and the overall safety infrastructure of the practice. She works closely with Dr. Potocko on medical oversight and with Michael on ensuring the clinical and therapeutic dimensions of care stay tightly integrated.

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Michael VanderWaal, LCSW

Director of Therapy

  • Michael VanderWaal is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with multi-state licensure across Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, Louisiana, and Florida. He brings over eight years of clinical experience working with people navigating grief, trauma, life transitions, addiction, and existential distress.

    Michael earned his Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan and his BS in Psychology from Andrews University. His training began in residential addiction treatment and community mental health in Detroit, and expanded into private practice, couples work, and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy. He is a practicing KAP therapist through Journey Clinical, holds a Certificate in Psychedelic Therapies and Research, and has completed the MAPS MDMA-Assisted Therapy training.

    At Althea NOLA, Michael leads the therapeutic side of care — preparation sessions, presence during the ketamine experience, and the integration work where lasting change takes root. His clinical approach is grounded in a core belief: people change when they feel safe enough to be honest, supported enough to stay with discomfort, and trusted enough to move at their own pace.

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Star Dunaway

Director of Operations

  • A New Orleans native, Star moved to the California Bay Area, where she spent 10 years with Apple, building a strong foundation in operations, leadership, and client experience.

    After moving back to New Orleans, she entered the ketamine therapy space in 2021, drawn by both its clinical potential and its personal impact. Having experienced its transformative effects firsthand, she brings a deep belief in this work to everything she does.

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